Three Malaysian Home Cooks in the Running to Become the First MasterChef Asia

Three
Malaysian Home Cooks in the Running to Become the First MasterChef Asia

Premiering 3 September, Thursdays at
9pm on Lifetime (Astro Ch 709), three Malaysian home cooks will take centre
stage in the inaugural Asian edition of MasterChef,
the world’s most successful cooking competition. Competing not only for
themselves, but battling it out in the name of national pride, to win the
ultimate title of MasterChef Asia.

Jasbir, the most senior contestant in
the competition at 54 years-old, began her love for cooking when she moved to
Sarawak, East Malaysia, after getting married. A homemaker and mother of three,
she hopes to impart the culinary skills of traditional Punjabi cuisine to the
younger generations. She also hopes to get professional accreditation to her
cooking skills and prove that home cooks can be highly skilled in the kitchen
as well.

Marcus, a 24 year-old banker, finds
inspiration from established chefs, as well as modern and molecular cuisine;
and prides himself on his unique ingredient pairings. Thriving under pressure,
he believes that the intense competition in MasterChef
Asia will be his introduction to the culinary world and the opportunity to
showcase Malaysian cuisine to the world.

Sophia, a 31 year-old homemaker and mother
of a 2-year-old girl, cooks every day and organizes meals for her family and friends
regularly. She hopes to one day enter the culinary world as a chef, caterer or
a food critic. Her diverse interest in the food industry shows her passion for
food and has inspired her to enter MasterChef
Asia.

Standing in their way of the ultimate
title are the other home cooks from China, India, Indonesia, Singapore,
Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The first MasterChef Asia winner will receive their very own cookbook, a
USD$50,000 cash prize, USD$10,000 worth of unique leisure experiences in Singapore,
USD$15,000 of Panasonic home appliances, a paid internship at one of Carlton
Hotel Singapore’s restaurants and a one-week stay at Hong Kong Disneyland
Resort.

“MasterChef Asia is the biggest original production we’ve ever undertaken on Lifetime Asia.
Producing one of world’s most successful formats is testament to Lifetime being
a leading entertainment destination in Asia. The series is coming together
really well; there is a wonderful range of culinary creations made by these
amateur home cooks and moments I was on the edge of my seat. With the passion
for food we have in Asia, we believe audiences will love the show and will no
doubt be rooting for their favourite contestants,” said Michele Schofield,
Senior Vice President, Programming & Production, A+E Networks Asia.

MasterChef
Asia
Season One is presented by the Singapore Tourism Board and Knorr, in
association with Panasonic, Changi Airport Group, Carlton Hotel Singapore and
Air Asia. The series premieres on 3 September, Thursdays at 9pm on Lifetime (Astro Ch 709). For more
information, please visit the official website at msn.com/masterchefasia.

MasterChef is represented internationally
by Endemol Shine Group. The show was originally revived as
MasterChef Goes Large in 2005 by Shine TV in the UK and is based on a
format originally created by Franc Roddam.

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About Lifetime®

Lifetime is a premier female-focused
entertainment destination dedicated to offering the highest quality original
programming spanning scripted series, non-fiction series and movies. As a
result of the network’s aggressive programming strategy that has doubled the
hours of its original programming, in 2014 the network reached its strongest
ranking among the key Women 18-49 demo in six years and its youngest median age
in 18 years. Lifetime Television®, LMN®, Lifetime Real Women® and Lifetime
Digital™ are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E
Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group
and Hearst Corporation.

About A+E Networks®

A+E Networks® is one of the world's leading media
companies and America’s second largest cable television network. A+E Networks’
channels are watched all over the world, reaching more than 330 million
subscribers in over 200 territories. A+E Networks is a joint venture of
Disney-ABC Television Group and Hearst Corporation. Its networks and divisions
include A&E®, Lifetime®, HISTORY®, LMN®, bio.®, H2™, HISTORY en Español™,
LRW®, Crime + Investigation™, Military HISTORY®, A&E IndieFilms®, A+E
Networks International®, A+E Networks Digital®, and A+E Networks Consumer
Products®.

About Endemol Shine Group

Endemol Shine Group is the new joint venture bringing
together Endemol, Shine and CORE Media, to create a global content creator,
producer and distributor with a portfolio of international hits including American
Idol, Big Brother, Black Mirror, Broadchurch,
Bron/Broen, Deal or No Deal, Grantchester, Man vs.
Food, MasterChef, Mr. Bean, One Born Every Minute, Peaky
Blinders, So You Think You Can Dance, The Biggest Loser, The
Fall, The Money Drop, Wipeout, and many more.

21st Century Fox and funds managed by affiliates of
Apollo Global Management, LLC jointly manage Endemol Shine Group, with each
owning 50 per cent. CORE Media continues to retain its own capital structure
within the new joint venture.

Endemol Shine
Group’s businesses have creative operations in over 30 markets, with a diverse
portfolio of over 600 revenue generating formats across scripted and
non-scripted genres; coupled with digital, gaming, and distribution operations.

About the
Singapore Tourism Board

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is a leading
economic development agency in tourism, one of Singapore's key service sectors.
Known for partnership, innovation and excellence, STB champions tourism, making
it a key economic driver for Singapore. We aim to differentiate and market
Singapore as a must-visit destination offering a concentration of user-centric
and enriching experiences through the "YourSingapore" brand. For more
information, please visit www.stb.gov.sg or www.yoursingapore.com.

About Knorr

In 1838, Carl Heinrich Knorr moved to the German
city of Heilbronn where he opened a factory and experimented with food drying
techniques in order to preserve and guarantee quality, flavour and freshness.

Over time, Knorr has built on Carl Heinrich
Knorr’s innovation legacy from the advent of the stock cube in 1910, to stock pots
and bake-in-bags over the 21st century. Today, Knorr still defines itself by
those same high standards of quality, flavour and freshness. Knorr is one of
the world’s largest food brands, sold in more than 87 countries around the
world. Based in Heilbronn, Germany, Knorr is Unilever’s largest brand, with a
yearly sales value of 4 billion Euros.

At Knorr, we are dedicated to delivering great
tasting products. Iconic bouillon cubes and soups are at the heart of the
brand. Knorr chefs are culinary experts and creators of Knorr products. Knorr
employs over 300 chefs representing over 48 nationalities and is one of the
biggest employers of professional chefs worldwide. We are committed to a
sustainable future through sourcing agricultural ingredients responsibly and
building sustainable practices. As part of the Unilever Sustainable Living
Plan, Knorr has committed to source 100% of their agricultural ingredients
sustainably by 2020.

For more information about Unilever and its
brands, please visit www.unilever.com.

About Panasonic
Asia Pacific

Panasonic Asia Pacific provides the whole range
of the brand’s products and solutions across the South East Asia and Pacific
(APAC) region. The company focuses on promoting its Business-to-Business
portfolio, such as in the field of energy solutions, whilst maintaining solid
Business-to-Consumer growth, in line with the group’s global direction.

The region has 45 manufacturing sites, which
hold as a key hub for Panasonic’s global production activities supporting the
consumer, solutions and components and devices business. Based in Singapore,
Panasonic Asia Pacific regional headquarter encourages locally-initiated energy
solutions partnerships and businesses. In this fiscal year, the headquarters
will also strengthen the company’s foothold in emerging markets. Panasonic Asia
Pacific will continue to promote green innovation and reduce its regional
carbon dioxide emissions footprint in support of Panasonic’s global eco
initiatives.

About Changi
Airport Group

Changi Airport Group (Singapore) Pte Ltd (CAG)
(www.changiairportgroup.com) was formed on 16 June 2009 and the corporatisation
of Singapore Changi Airport (IATA: SIN, ICAO: WSSS) followed on 1 July 2009. As
the company managing Changi Airport, CAG undertakes key functions focusing on
airport operations and management, air hub development, commercial activities
and airport emergency services. CAG also manages Seletar Airport (IATA: XSP,
ICAO: WSSL) and through its subsidiary Changi Airports International, invests
in and manages foreign airports.

Changi Airport is the world's sixth busiest
airport for international traffic. It served a record 54.1 million passengers
from around the globe in 2014. More than 350 retail stores and 160 F&B
outlets are situated across three terminals to cater to passengers and
visitors. With over 100 airlines providing connectivity to 300 cities
worldwide, Changi Airport handles about 6,600 flights every week, or about one
every 90 seconds.

About Carlton
Hotel Singapore

Carlton Hotel
Singapore is the largest independent hotel in Singapore that combines
international standards with exceptional service and local charm. Carlton Hotel
offers 940 well-appointed rooms with 13 function rooms, award-winning Wah Lok
Cantonese restaurant, all-day dining Café Mosaic, Tuxedo Cafe & Pâtisserie,
Gravity Bar, a gym and swimming pool. Every part of the hotel experience is
crafted to celebrate modern Singapore and dedicated to the comfort of our
guests.

AirAsia, the leading and largest low-cost carrier in Asia, servicing the
most extensive network with over 100 destinations. Within 14 years of
operations, AirAsia has carried over 260 million guests and grown its fleet
from just two aircraft to over 170. The airline is proud to be a truly Asean
(Association of Southeast Asian Nations) airline with established operations
based in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and India, servicing a
network stretching across all Asean countries and beyond. AirAsia was named the
World’s Best Low Cost Airline at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards for
seven consecutive years from 2009 – 2015. AirAsia is the first airline globally
to collaborate with INTERPOL to implement the I-Checkit system to screen the
passports of all its prospective passengers against information contained in
the world police body’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database.